Before the Dolphin
by snapelouver
Summary: Ever wonder how Jaimy got on board the Dolphin. Read here from Jaimy's POV


**Disclamer-I don't own "Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy" or any of the characters sadly *frowns unhappily* all rights are L.A. Meyer's.**

**Summary: This is what happened in Bloody Jack from Jaimy's POV. How he got to be onboard_ the Dolphin._**

I don't know how it was decided for me to go to sea, but some how it was. George, my brother was older than me and went off to become educated in the ways of law. So was Elizabeth and Lucy, but they went to the _London Academy for Young Ladies_. But that's when the money began to run thin. They had begun to set up a blockade around the French ports near my home. Money was running thin and quickly draining when it came time for me to go to school.

"Jim," Mother was sitting in her favorite chair by the fire,"what are we going to do about the money."

"I don't know. With the blockade going about, there is no way that merchants can buy wine let alone sell it to others." Father began to pass in front of the fire.

"We must think of something. We've just sent off more money for George to continue his schooling. And Elizabeth. She's engaged, and we have barley enough money for her dowry. With her dowry, we won't have enough money to pay for James to go."

"I know. We can't keep him home and school him from here. There isn't a school close enough that good enough."

"What about your trade? The wine business?"

"The business?" father asked. He'd stopped passing and looked up a Mother.

"Yes couldn't you take James, and start having him work as an apprentice under you or another business."

"We can't. I can't afford to take on another person, even our son. Plus James doesn't have the experience to work under another. He knows nothing except how to run a business or how to tell a good…Wait! I know what we can do!"

"What?" Mother was courious; leaning on the edge of her seat like that.

"We could send him out sea. He would be educated on the ship. I've heard that they teach the shipboys how to read and write. We can't afford for him to be a midshipman, but we can have him a place as a shipboy. There's the Royal Navy has_ the Dolphin_ docked here."

"And, I'm sure that James will be promoted soon and become an officer. Maybe he'll outshine his brother and become a captain of the Royal Navy."

"So it's settled. James will join _the Dolphin_ as a shipboy. The ship I heard is looking for about six shipboys and recruitment starts tomorrow." With that he slump down into his chair.

I closed the door, and crept back into my room. _A shipboy. I'm going to be a shipboy for the Royal Navy. A shipboy, not a midshipman, but a low shipboy. I suppose that it's better than staying here, and being apprenticed to a baker or the smith._ With that I closed my eyes, and drifted off into dreams filled with captains of ships and the smell of the ocean.  
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**"**Come along son," Father said as we walked along the streets of London, "hurry up. The ship won't wait for you, you know."

I picked up my pace, trying to stay right behind him without being jostled by everyone. I had everything that I would need in my sack. It would be the only things that I had to remember my family out on the high sea. I had a tin mess kit that Father bought me yesterday, picture of the family, a notebook and pen, and a blanket that Mother insisted for the cold.

Father lead me down to the docks where there was ship getting ready to set sail. When we reach the gangway, Father puts a hand out and stops me.

"Now son," Father begins, "I want you to know that what ever happens. Your Mother and I will be proud of you."

"I know, and Father…"

"Yes, son?"

I drew up my courage and lifted my head. Meeting his eyes, I continued, "I'll miss you, Fahter,"

"I'll miss you too, son," he replied, shaking my hand.

Straightning my back, I started up the gangway.

"Name?" asked the clerk. He was a short man with his hair combed over to hide his bold spot.

"James, James Emerson Fletcher," I saw him scribble _James E. Fletcher_ into his little book.

"Age?"

"Twelve, sir," I replied.

"Welcome aboard _The Dolphin_, boy," he said, closing the notebook and stuffing it into his breast pocket.

And then my life changed forever.

**A****/N: If anyone is interested in me continuing this story, please please send me a review**


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